Water damage restoration · Kirkland, Washington
Water damage restoration in Kirkland, WA
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Kirkland-area ZIPs: 29 flood claims since 1979[1]; 44% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Kirkland, in King County — ZIPs 98034, 98033, counts 97,410 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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The Kirkland water damage picture in brief
- Population (2025 est.)
- 97,410[3]+5.7% since 2020
- County
- King[3]
- Land area
- 17.8 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 29 since 1979[1]$124,377 paid across 14 claims · ZIP 98034, 98033
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 3[5]2016–2025 · latest Dec 5, 2023
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, King Co.
- 11[6]of 18 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 44%[2]the 6th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 39%[2]2020–2024
What Kirkland's numbers say about water damage
Kirkland is one of the fastest-growing Seattle-metro suburbs tracked here: 97,410 people (2025 estimate), up 5.7% since 2020[3]. It covers 17.8 square miles (5,471 residents per square mile, the 1st densest), sits entirely in King County, in ZIP codes 98034, 98033[4].
Kirkland mixes 13% of homes built since 2010 and 44% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
Mail to Kirkland goes through 2 ZIP codes — 98034 (54% of the city's land), 98033 (46% of the city's land)[7].
The closest tracked neighbours are Redmond (4.3 mi E), Bothell (5.3 mi N) and Bellevue (7.2 mi S)[4].
29 flood-insurance claims have come from Kirkland-area ZIP codes (98034, 98033) since 1979, and $124,377 has been paid on them (about $8,884 per paid claim)[1]. 2023 was the worst year, with 5 claims. That is the 5th-fewest of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Redmond (17), Bothell (15), and Bellevue (77). Most jobs here start inside the house. Of the 28 claims rated in a flood zone, 7 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 21 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Kirkland-area flood claims cluster in January (5), November (5), and December (14) — 24 of 29 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Kirkland, weather observers filed 3 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025[5]. Countywide: 11 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4906, 2025)[6].
44% of Kirkland's 41,096 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 6th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover (Redmond (26%), Bothell (27%), and Bellevue (47%)). Expect a mix of original and replaced plumbing.
61% of Kirkland households own their home[2], so most claims and rebuilds here are coordinated by the owner.
Out of the 15 suburbs on this site, Kirkland has the most flood reports nearby (3, tied with 3 other suburbs)[5].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
Get water damage help in Kirkland
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Kirkland cover ZIP codes 98034, 98033.
Before you pick up the phone: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Kirkland homes by building type
46%[2] of Kirkland's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 41%, the 8th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is 50 or more units: 5,383 of 41,096 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 21,995 | 53.5% | ±760 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 2,120 | 5.2% | ±275 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 403 | 1.0% | ±145 |
| 3–4 units | 1,582 | 3.8% | ±255 |
| 5–9 units | 3,320 | 8.1% | ±443 |
| 10–19 units | 3,554 | 8.6% | ±489 |
| 20–49 units | 2,662 | 6.5% | ±479 |
| 50 or more units | 5,383 | 13.1% | ±636 |
| Mobile home | 66 | 0.2% | ±70 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 11 | 0.0% | ±18 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Kirkland numbers behind this page
| Measure | Kirkland | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 3 | 1 | 2 more |
| Median home value | $1,115,400 | $686,900 | 62% higher |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 29 | 46 | 17 fewer |
| Renter-occupied | 39% | 45% | 5 pts lower |
| Built before 1980 | 44% | 39% | 4 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 61% | 55% | 5 pts higher |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 | 1 year older |
Sorted by largest difference. Each median is the middle value across the covered Seattle-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkland | 29 | 3 | 44% | 39% |
| Redmond 4.3 mi | 17 | 3 | 26% | 57% |
| Bothell 5.3 mi | 15 | 3 | 27% | 35% |
| Bellevue 7.2 mi | 77 | 3 | 47% | 48% |
| Lynnwood 10.2 mi | 46 | 0 | 53% | 49% |
| Sammamish 10.5 mi | 27 | 1 | 13% | 17% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98034 | 15 | $47,786 | 2023 (5) | 15 of 15 |
| 98033 | 14 | $76,591 | 1986 (3) | 6 of 13 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 5 |
| May | 1 |
| July | 1 |
| September | 1 |
| October | 2 |
| November | 5 |
| December | 14 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2023 | Heavy Rain | 2.7 mi |
| Dec 4, 2023 | Heavy Rain | 2.7 mi |
| Jan 12, 2021 | Flood | 8.6 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Kirkland's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 98034 | 54% | 99% |
| 98033 | 46% | 88% |
Kirkland water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Kirkland?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Kirkland-area ZIPs have 7 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Kirkland ZIP codes do these crews cover?
98034 and 98033[7], in King County. Nearby pages: Redmond (4.3 mi), Bothell (5.3 mi), and Bellevue (7.2 mi)[4].
Which Kirkland ZIP code has the most flood claims?
98034, with 15 NFIP claims and $47,786 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Kirkland?
Dec 5, 2023: a heavy rain report 2.7 miles from the city center[5].
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.